


A Favour

by DefiantDame



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-06-27 08:07:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15681399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefiantDame/pseuds/DefiantDame
Summary: Hange suddenly realises that she really wants a family. She starts to plan to use a donor.Levi is about to be out of work. When he finds out about Hange's plan, he offers to be her donor.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Of course, in the middle of writing a different long fanfic and studying for my upcoming exam, I choose now to start a new story. Hope you all enjoy this one. We're talking angst for this first chapter.

It was a stab through the heart when she got home and no-one was there. No partner to give a kiss to. No pitter patter of little feet racing down the hall to see her and tell her all about their day. No gathering around the table for dinner. No family.  
Hange inhaled sharply. “Shit,” she shoved her glasses up onto her forehead and rubbed at her eyes, the stinging becoming unbearable.  
For the first time in her life, she wanted something normal.  
***  
Levi didn’t believe he was above menial tasks. Cleaning had to be done and he was just a capable of doing it as the first-year apprentices were. Plus, he liked it.  
Mop in hand, he expertly twirled it around the commercial kitchen floor.  
“Don’t I employ a crew of cleaners to do that?” Erwin said with a droll tone as he leant against one of the spotless stainless-steel benches.  
Levi glared at his boss. “What do you want?”  
“Just checking up on the kitchen.”  
“We’re closed for the night,” and I don’t believe you. Levi turned his attention to the apprentices washing dishes. “Oi.”  
They turned his way with wide eyes.  
“Get out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
“Yes, chef,” they chimed and happily escaped.  
“Now,” Levi dumped his mop back into the bucket before folding his arms and death staring the giant, Erwin. “What the fuck is it?”  
Erwin sighed heavily. “We’re in trouble.”  
Stiffening, Levi’s mind raced through all of the possibilities. “Financial?”  
Erwin nodded.  
“Fuck.”  
“Exactly,” Erwin agreed. “The higher ups are pulling their funding, trying to force us to close.”  
“And your plan is?”  
“To let it happen.”  
Levi stumbled back. “What?!”   
Erwin, stone faced, nodded his head once. “They want this place to close so they can demolition the building. I don’t have the means to buy anything from them. This place cannot be saved.”  
Levi waited for the ‘but’.  
It came. “But I have my eye on another hotel and am in discussions with the real estate.”  
“You’re taking everyone?”  
Erwin nodded again. “If they’re willing to follow, I will give them all jobs.”  
“What’s going to happen in the meantime? How long will it take?” Of course, the higher ups didn’t just want the building gone, they wanted to demolish one of the best hotel managers, Erwin.  
“A while.”  
And they would be successful if he couldn’t save all of his employees. “Tch,” Levi wanted to kick the shit out of something. Anything. “Of course, we’re all going to be out of work and scatter. We’re going to have to start all over again. Train new people to do the work of the fucking good ones we had.”  
Erwin rolled his eyes. “You might have to talk to new people instead of just to your team.”  
He paused. His team of chefs all had responsibilities and people depending on them to make wages. He couldn’t expect them to wait until Erwin had his new hotel ready. They needed to find work. “How long before this place closes?”  
“Four months.”  
“They didn’t fucking give much notice.”  
“They never do.” With a sigh, Erwin started to the door. “I have to find Mike and tell him what’s going on.”  
Left alone, Levi glared at the stove. This was a shitty thing. He’d have to find a job to fill in the time before Erwin needed him again. Something…   
His thoughts were interrupted as the phone in his pocket went off with the ring tone set for Hange; a witch’s cackle.  
“Not a good time, shitty glasses,” he answered.  
“Oh.”  
Her voice sounded soft and far away. Nothing like her usual tone. “What’s wrong?” He asked.  
“Um,” she hesitated. “I was hoping you could drop by after work, but maybe another time. Sorry to bother you, Levi. Hope everything is fine.”  
“What’s wrong? You sound like shit.” He winced a little. That came out harsher than he intended.   
Hange gave a weak laugh. “I feel like it. I just wanted to have a chat. But if you’re having problems of your own, I don’t want to add to them. I’ll talk to you later. Bye,” she suddenly hung up.  
Levi frowned. What the fuck was her problem?  
***  
Hange reached for her bottle of wine. Again, she drank straight from it. No glass to wash up, she told herself.  
Why the fuck did Niffa bring in her baby for all of the people at work to see? Why did she have to glow as she talked about all of the things the small being did, as if a toothless smile was a masterpiece? Why did she let Hange hold the baby?  
It had been amazing; this little bag of bones had flopped onto her chest and started to chew on the collar of her shirt. And then she felt it, his little heartbeat. It fluttered, reverberating into her chest. And that’s when she came to an epiphany as she cuddled him close, her jaw going slack as her friends laughed at her experience.  
“I want to have a family,” the words echoed in her empty home.  
It was a strange thing for her. She’d never considered having children, they’d never came up as something she wanted out of life. Moving out of home, university, finding a position at the botanical gardens, becoming the head of her group and leading the work they did; that was all part of her plan and things she’d achieved.  
But then what? After all of that, what was she meant to do?  
It had been years since she’d settled into contentment. But now there was a name for the gap she felt every so often, more so when she was lonely.  
Sighing, Hange flopped back into the lounge. “What am I to do?” Like the good scientist she was, she started to list the possibilities and review their pros and cons.  
“Foster care or adopting… the likelihood of me being accepted as a candidate for either as a single parent is low. Not to mention all of the red tape that stops it,” Hange adjusted her position on the lounge, tucking her feet under her. “Giving birth is the simplest of options. But that requires a partner to conceive.”  
Pausing, she counted back the months… okay, years. “Wow,” she surprised herself. “That long since I last had sex.” With a snort she drank more.  
“Okay. Getting pregnant. Work will give me maternity leave, and the support needed so that’s fine. But I have to get knocked up first. Sperm donor, that’s smart. Go through a doctor, the donor has no obligations to the child or me so it wouldn’t be like I’m trapping anyone. And I need to be honest, I haven’t met anyone who would be willing to settle for me so far, so I’m not even going to think about trying to find Mr Right first,” she started to nod her head. “Yes, I need to find a sperm donor so I can have this baby. I have a plan. Yahoo!” Raising her bottle, she toasted the air.  
She could do this, she could be a single mother.  
An hour later and another bottle opened, she opened the door to Levi. “Oh, hey there, short-stack.”  
Levi grunted as he brushed past her and into her home. “What’s the matter? You sounded like shit on the phone but you’re all smiles now.” He stopped once he reached the lounge room.  
Hange looked at her bottles of wine and chuckled. “Yeah, I was feeling lonely. But in the middle of the first bottle I figured out a plan and so I’m celebrating with a second bottle. Want some?”  
“You’re not using a glass,” he narrowed his eyes at her.  
“Saving on washing up. But I’ll go get the glasses just for you,” she hurried off to do so. “What was your problem?” she called out as she moved around the kitchen.  
“The hotel is closing,” he said from right behind her.  
She jumped. “You need a damn bell, Levi.” Watching him as he placed the containers of food into her fridge, she smiled. “Thanks, what was on the menu tonight?”  
“Roast.”  
“Yum,” her mouth watered. “Can’t wait to eat it… hold up, you said the hotel was closing?”  
Levi nodded. “Erwin told me tonight, just before you called. We have four months before we close. He’s looking to buy his own hotel, but…” he sighed.  
Hange filled in the rest. “By the time he does that, everyone of you guys will need to find jobs elsewhere. That’s rough.”  
“Tch, it’s fucking annoying. What am I supposed to do? I’m going to lose my team just as I’ve got them trained to my standards.”  
Hange motioned with the glasses to the lounge room before leading the way. “Guess you could go back to bar tending in the meantime.”  
“I’m a chef now. I don’t do that shit anymore,” he snapped.  
They took up their usual spots at opposite ends of the lounge.  
“And I’m not going back to my uncle’s place. Fuck no.”  
Hange poured wine. “You’re a good chef, you’ll find a fill in job quickly.”  
“What was the plan for?” he quickly changed the topic on her.  
“Hmm? Oh, yeah.” Hange blushed. “I, um. I kind of decided that I wanted to have a baby.”  
She said this as he was drinking. He sputtered wine out. “What?”  
Hange groaned. “Don’t spill the alcohol. I glad we’re on white and not red. The staining, Levi, the staining.” She was quick to try and make a joke.  
Levi glared at her. “You want a baby?” He was not to be distracted it seemed.  
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I have a plan and I’ve got it covered.”  
“What does that mean?”  
“Well,” Hange settled back and sipped her wine. “I’ve decided that I’m going to the doctors to find a sperm donor. It’s the most practical way for someone in my position.”  
“What position is that?”  
“Single and over thirty.”  
Levi eyed her. “You want to get pregnant to someone you’ve never met?”  
She shrugged. “There isn’t a really decent other option. This way I take the responsibility, I don’t put anyone else into a position they don’t want to be in; no child support or visitational rights.”  
“You don’t want a dad for your kid?”  
“We have met, right? I mean, you know I’m not the easiest person to be with in any capacity. To prove that, I would like to point out my lack of significant other half for the past few years… and the lack of casual partners also,” she winced. “I’m so pathetic.”  
Levi was silent.  
She continued on. “But I’m not going to wait around for someone to finally choose me to love. I want to have a family and while sperm donor isn’t ideal it is the best option for me.”  
“What if you knew the donor?”  
Hange blinked at him. “Say what?”  
For once, Levi wasn’t meeting her eyes as he spoke. “What if you knew the donor and they wanted to be part of the brat’s life?”  
It clicked in her head. “Are you offering?”  
Silence again.  
The bubble of words popped through her lips. “Because that would be absolutely amazing, Levi. And save me a lot of money having to see doctors and pay for procedures and what not. But are you sure this is something you want to do? Do you want to have a baby or are you trying to be a good friend? I really appreciate the offer, but if you’re not wanting to have a baby and I completely respect that, I don’t want you to feel pressure or obligation. I have options.”  
“Shut up, Hange. I want to have a baby.”  
This time, Hange fell into silence. “Are you sure?”  
He gave her a curt nod. “Yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Making the plan.

Levi arrived at Hange’s house right on time a week after they’d made the biggest decision of their friendship. She answered the door, dressed in sweats and looking like shit.  
“Hey, short-stack,” still she gave him a genuine smile.  
“PMS?” he asked as he entered.  
“Hmm, like a bitch.”  
“I have chocolate cake,” lifting the offering to show her.  
She sighed in bliss. “Yay! They say that the effect that chocolate has on the brain is similar to that of an orgasm. Maybe that’s why women stereotypically love it.”  
Levi moved to the kitchen and did what he was good at, prepping the food and taking it back out to the lounge room for her to scoff down. “Here,” he passed it over.  
“Thank you, dear. Shall we get down to business?”  
He took a seat and picked up the cup of tea that sat waiting beside her own. He nodded.  
“Right,” she spoke around her fork. “We both agree that we want to have a child,” pausing for him to nod again. “And that we’re most likely not going to find a partner to settle down with and start a family, not in our current positions.”  
“Yes.” His stomach tightened as some anxiety hit him. This was a real thing, a decision to create a new life form together. If they fucked this up, there would be a brat who could be hurt.   
“We’re of sound minds as we agree to be parents to a child that we shall conceive.”  
Levi almost groaned. “Stop talking like that. Say it normally, not with all this shit.”  
Hange rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to be professional. Fine, okay. We’re agreeing to have a baby together. We’re not going to hide this from anyone or from the child. You’ll be dad and I’ll be mum. We split the expenses fifty-fifty. The child will live with me mostly, but you will have complete access.”  
“Agreed.”  
“Good. Now, when it comes to… making the baby,” she visibly cringed as she spoke. “We need to decide how.”  
“I thought sex ed was mandatory in high school,” he said and lifted his cup to his lips.  
“Do you want to have sex to have this baby or do artificial insemination?” She shot back.  
He glared as he spluttered tea. “Artificial insemination? What are you, livestock?”  
“Those are the two options,” Hange continued calmly. Though, he did notice she was looking around the room and was red in the face as she spoke.  
“Artificial, means you masturbate and ejaculate into a cup. From there, I use a syringe, which I can get at the chemist, and insert it and inject it as close to the cervix as possible. Or we have sex.”  
Sex with Hange… Levi tried to maintain his normal breathing as the idea formed in his mind. Sex with his best friend. Sex without a condom, so they were the most intimate that anyone could be.   
He watched her bite her bottom lip. “There are risks with both situations,” Hange babbled. “Neither is a fool proof way for falling pregnant. If we were going to a doctor and they gave me hormone injections, that could help to increase the likelihood, but we’re not and it’s most likely that we won’t fall the first time like that artificially or while having sex so we’ll have to try several times.”  
Sex several times with Hange… her long legs locked around his waist, the heels of her feet digging into his lower back, forcing him to go deeper. Her head thrown back into the pillow, hair spilling everywhere. A sexy glow to her afterwards as she grinned at him and asked –  
“Levi.”  
He snapped back to reality, feeling very hot under the collar and tight in his pants. Shit, he cursed himself. “Whatever you feel comfortable with.”  
Hange groaned. “I don’t know. That’s why I was hoping you would have a firm opinion. Yes, going artificial would maintain our friendship, I just don’t know how I feel about conceiving like that. Its like you said, we’re doing it like livestock or in a conservation program for an endangered species.”  
“Our friendship?”  
At this she narrowed her eyes at him. “I know you have a habit of tuning me out whenever I start talking science, but doing it now and for this is fucking stupid, Ackerman.”  
He sighed. “Let’s just have sex.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yes,” he felt a blush heat up his cheeks. “It’ll be quicker and easier and less fucking weird to that artificial bullshit.”  
“So I’m going to have sex with my best friend. Huh.”  
“Only if that’s what you want,” he cautioned. Sure, his body was reacting very, very positive to the idea. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d thought about it with her. But, she was the one who wanted to do this to get pregnant. She had to have final say as to what happened to her body.  
“I guess… I mean… well…” Hange chewed her bottom lip. “Even what we’ve decided so far has changed our friendship. Adding sex won’t destroy us,” she made it sound like a question instead of a statement.  
“You normally don’t dither like this, shitty glasses,” he said, feeling concerned.  
“I don’t normally have to decide on whether to fuck my best friend or not,” she shot back. Then she laughed. “This is strange, even for us. But we can do it.”  
He groaned internally. Just what he needed in his life right now, to fuck the one person he never wanted to lose. Watching her smile and start planning, made the corners of his mouth twitch upward. For her to get what she wanted, he’d risk it.  
***  
“Why?” she asked later.  
Levi didn’t answer straight away or ask for clarification about what she wanted to know. “I want one,” he finally answered. “We’re in the same shitty situation and when you said you wanted a brat…” he trailed off.  
“You just knew it,” Hange relaxed, happy not to be alone in any of this. Would everyone think she was crazy for suddenly making a choice to have a child? For using her best friend as a baby-daddy?   
“Yeah.”  
“Okay then,” she tried her best not to hesitate as she told him the timeline. “My period is due this week. I’m most likely to be ovulating in two weeks’ time. We should start to try then.”  
“Does it matter what time of the day?”  
Hange snorted. “Are you sure you want a science explanation?”  
“Fuck no.”  
“Too late,” she teased with a cackle. “In some of the articles, I’ve found men tend to be more fertile in the morning, your hormones fluctuate daily; high early and then dropping to low at the end of the day. Women have a month-long cycle where we’re high for ovulation and at the lowest for menstruation. In other words, it doesn’t matter to me what time of the day, only the time of the month. But since I have to be at work early in the morning, that’s going to be problematic. And then there is the issue of you coming over to do it after work; will you have the energy?”  
“Fuck off, four eyes,” he snapped.  
She marvelled, had she insulted him? “Just asking.”  
“I’ll be here and I’ll get the job done.”  
Whoa. Her pulse quickened at the way he spoke; absolute authority and confidence. Did he know how sexy he was? “Okay then.”  
“What if I stayed over. Then we can have sex before you go to work.”  
Hange blinked at the suggestion. “That could work… actually, do you want to move in? You’re about to be unemployed, living here will save you on rent.”  
“No.”  
She cringed. “Okay.”  
“I still have a job… once its gone and if I don’t have anything else…”  
“The offer will still be here,” she quickly added.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut.

Hange agonized over her dismal panty selection. “Why don’t I own anything sexy?!” she glared at the draw while she stood completely naked before it, her hair was dripping water onto the floor.  
Purchased in bulk, her beige granny knickers were practical for work, lounging around the house in her free time, and could go under anything slightly fancier for special occasions such as a friend’s birthday party. No need to find a white pair for under a white skirt. Beige was the best investment.  
“I don’t even remember the last time I went shopping for underwear,” she sighed and pulled out the least worn pair. Holding it up to the light, she inspected it for holes or losing shape. “Gah,” she despaired. “Would it be appropriate to go commando?”  
She dreaded looking for a bra.  
***  
It took a lot of effort for Levi not to think about what he was going to be doing after work, or more specifically, whom.  
He was going to, basically, have sex with his best friend. Unprotected sex.  
Fuck.  
Turning from his chopping board, knife still in hand, he looked over the work of the others. They seemed to have it together. Olou was being a little too flashy with the flames for the stir fry, but not enough to set anything on fire or burn the food. Petra was working steadily on plating the salads. The new apprentice, Eren, was giving his full attention to Gunter as he showed him how to caramelize onions properly.  
There was nothing to distract him.  
Levi’s imagination wondered. It had been doing that for two weeks. Nothing but imaging what it would be like to sink slow and steadily into Hange, bit by bit. Or ramming it in so hard she gasped and gripped his shoulders. Or having her throw him onto the bed and take the lead, straddling his hips and riding him.  
His jaw clenched as he glanced at the clock. It was going to be a fucking long night at work.  
***  
It worried Hange. Just what were they supposed to do? They discussed the ins and outs of wanting to have a baby, but they never said whether they would… make love.   
Hange cringed. “Make love?” she mocked herself out loud. “What the fuck do I think this is, a romance novel? Next thing I’ll know, Levi will come in and strip and have an eight pack of abs even though he has a fulltime job and doesn’t work out, he’ll be hung like a horse and even though it’s huge it will feel amazing and not like I’m either stretched too far because it’s thick or like I’m being stabbed in the uterus because it’s too long. Ugh,” she flopped onto the lounge in a dramatic arm over eyes manner. “Do we even kiss?”  
She rubbed her lips together. How was it, after so many years of friendship, and so many drunk nights together, they never kissed. Hell, she kissed Nanaba!  
The knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. “Shit, what time is it?” Scrambling over the arm of the lounge, she rushed to the door. “Hi!” She yelled and cringed.  
Levi blinked. “You have too much energy for this late at night,” he entered her home and went about his business of getting settled in; shoes and coat off in the entrance, he emptied his pockets in the kitchen, lining his wallet and keys up next to her discarded items, and placed the containers of leftovers in the fridge.  
“Why are you following me like that?”  
Hange froze. Then laughed. “Sorry, didn’t realise I was ghosting. Your routine was just fascinating me.”  
“I’ve done this before.”  
She hummed. Of course he had, he always took his shoes off and made himself at home if he was doing more than just dropping off food and making sure she was alive. “I just…”  
Levi narrowed his eyes. “Having second thoughts?”  
“No.” It wasn’t second thoughts. “I think I’m… nervous. I want to do it, but I’m not sure how we’re going to. Do you… do we… I get we’re not doing the clinical artificial thing, but how comfortable are we going to be together?”  
“Have you had anything to drink?”  
She shook her head. “Alcohol doesn’t help with getting pregnant. It probably helps more with relaxing enough to have sex, but not for having the egg fertilised and establishing it in the lining of the uterus, it does the opposite, and since we’re starting with such old eggs and sperm to begin with, we need all the help we can get.” She inhaled deeply.   
Levi switched on the kettle. “Tea?”  
“Please.”  
“What if,” he placed tea bags into two cups, “we stop thinking about getting knocked up this first time?” He lined up the tags of the tea with the handles.  
Hange was grateful he was focused on his task, she felt her face burn, the sting most noticeable on the tips of her ears. “You mean, we just have sex this first time… just for us?”  
Levi grunted.  
“I guess that’s not a bad plan. To be honest, I doubt I would be able to fall pregnant at all right now; my stress levels are just too high.” She took a measured breath. “So, this would be us getting over the awkwardness so the next time we’re more familiar and can just get on with the job.”  
“Yeah,” the kettle finished boiling and he poured the water. “Let’s just get comfortable.”  
***  
He knew what he said, but he wasn’t sure how he could be comfortable at all that night. Sitting on the lounge with tea, they settled into talking about anything and everything but having sex.  
This is ridiculous. He downed the last of his tea, reached over and took her cup from her hands to place it beside his before stopping.   
“Levi?”  
Shit. He needed to let his body take over, not to think about it. Looking at her, he watched her teeth indent themselves on her bottom lip. Impulsively, he kissed her.  
Their teeth clashed.  
Levi cringed… this was not going to go well.  
***  
Hange rolled over in bed as the alarm went off. She came to a stop as she encountered a warm body.  
Oh yeah, Levi had slept over even after their disastrous first attempts of being intimate. She snorted. They had failed at kissing, it made her laugh the way he groped her breast as if he was using a stress ball. In the end, they didn’t have sex, making up the excuse of being too tired and stressed to have a proper go at it.  
But he still stayed over, promising to do her in the morning.  
She smiled.   
Without her glasses, he was in extreme soft vision to her. She could see his dark hair and pale skin against her miss matched sheets, but the details weren’t there. Her fingers itched to trace those details. The adorable little turned up nose of his called out to her.  
Without questioning, she stroked her fingers from the bridge of his nose down to the tip.  
“What are you doing?”  
Hange bit her lip so she didn’t laugh out loud. “Playing with your nose. Did I wake you?”  
“Yeah, you did, shitty glasses.”  
“I’m sorry,” Hange took her fingers away. “I’ll make it up to you later.”  
“Tease.”  
“What?” She gaped in shock.  
“Tease,” he repeated in the same mono tone.  
It was like a fire was lit within her. A tease, was she? Didn’t believe her when she said she would make it up to him later? Was going to just lay there and fall asleep instead of doing his damn job, was he?  
Hange rose up and shoved the bedding out of the way.  
“Oi!” Levi started to surge up.  
She roughly shoved him back down and straddled his hips. “I am not a tease, shorty. You’re the tease, promising to fuck me in the morning, but instead of waking me up with morning wood, you were just planning on sleeping.”  
“The fuck are you saying, Hange?”   
Reaching down between their bodies, she took him into her hand, rubbing through the material of his boxers. “I’m saying, I’ll make it up to you right now,” she flirted.  
He was getting hard in her hand. “Jesus,” Levi’s hips bucked up.  
She wasn’t immune. Unlike the night before, she was now feeling very interested. “Hmm, that’s not the name you need to be moaning. I’m not doing a good enough job.”  
Levi’s hands slipped under her nigh shirt and gripped her waist. She trembled in anticipation.   
Leaning down, she kissed him the way she liked to be kiss; messily. Her tongue darted out and licked at his lips. Levi responded by parting them.  
His hands climbed up her sides. One hand came around and cupped her breast and the other drifted back down to her hip, gripping hard and pressing her down.  
She gasped into his mouth.   
That pressure was very nice.  
Her hips rocked back and forth as his hand kept her pressed down and directly onto him. Every shift brushed against her very sensitive clit. She continued to hump him.  
Levi broke their kiss. “Off.”  
“What?” her mouth felt a little bruised as she formed words.  
Levi rolled her off of him and shoved his boxers down to release his erection. The tip glistened in the morning light.  
Hange started to reach for it, wanting to play with it even more.  
Levi had other ideas. Swiftly, he yanked her pyjama bottoms down and off, taking her panties with them.  
“Oh,” she spread her legs, placing them either side of his hips. “Wait!” she yelled.  
Levi froze. “What’s wrong?”  
“I want my glasses.”  
“Why?”  
Hange reached for them on the bedside where they always went. “Because, I can’t see if I’m not wearing them.” Slipping them on, the world came into focus. She could make out the details of Levi; his half-lid eyes and the flush of colour in his cheeks. “That’s better,” she reached for his shoulders.  
Levi rolled his eyes at her.   
Heat flooded her cheeks and she dipped her chin so she was watching his erection instead of his face. “I just wanted to be able to see you,” she muttered.  
“See my dick?” he threw back.  
Her head jerked back up. “No, you insensitive ass. I wanted to see your face.”  
The corner of his mouth tugged upwards. “Then don’t look down.” He held her eyes as he moved into position. Slowly, he pushed in.  
Hange’s mouth dropped open.   
Oh…   
It had been a long time since she’d been penetrated by something of more size than her fingers.   
It was… nice. He was filling her, but it didn’t hurt. She liked it a lot. Her breathing was becoming ragged.   
Levi groaned as he sank fully in.  
They kissed.  
He pulled back and sank back in again.  
Her hips lifted to meet him.  
They moved together, picking up speed. The only sound in the apartment was the wet slaps of flesh on flesh and their gasps for air.   
Hange was clawing at his back, little hiccups of moans increasing in sound as the pressure inside of her increased. Soon, soon, almost there, nearly, oh god, oh, oh… “Oh, oh, my fu… Levi.” She tumbled over into her orgasm.  
He followed soon after, groaning as he came inside of her.  
***  
Moblit narrowed his eyes at Hange. She was always a very expressive person, liked to smile and be engaging, but something was different today. “Do you have good news, Miss Hange?”  
She looked to him in surprise. “Um, no. Why?”  
“You’re more happy than usual.”  
A blush came across her cheeks. She laughed and shook her head. “No news.”  
***  
Levi climbed the stairs to Hange’s apartment quickly. He knocked on the door. Already, he felt excited, a little too eager to see his best friend.  
Hange swung the door open and in one fluid move reached for him and dragged him into the apartment and against her body.  
Dropping his overnight bag, his hands settled on her hips.  
***  
Two weeks later, Hange doubled over her desk at work. “Fuck,” she cursed as the cramp took hold of her.  
Tears welled up in her eyes.  
Why? Why hadn’t it worked?  
She left early, the pain too much for to handle. But it wasn’t the cramps. No, it was the way her heart was breaking for failing to fall pregnant. Of course, she knew that it wasn’t likely they would fall the first time they tried. But it was a failure nonetheless.   
In her apartment, tampon in and wrapped in a blanket, she texted Levi.  
“My period came.”  
Moments later, he replied. “I’m coming over after work.”  
She smiled when she saw that. “Okay.”  
When he showed up, it was just one look at his face and she lost it. Tears spilled down her cheeks and she wailed. Levi was across the room and holding her in seconds. He didn’t speak, no words could be of comfort to her in that moment.  
Finally, when the sobbing had subsided, he kissed her temple. “We’re not giving up,” he said to her.  
She shook her head. “Of course not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the kudos and comments. Hope you enjoyed this smutty chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A test is taken.

Levi stared at the crazed woman.  
“So,” Hange grinned. “Do you want to explore a fetish of watching a woman pee on a stick?” She waved around the ‘stick’ for a ridiculous emphasis.  
“Disgusting.”  
Turning on her heel she headed towards the bathroom. “But a necessary evil to find out if we’re pregnant or not.”  
As he followed her, he noticed the bounce in her step more. He relaxed a little. This was a formality; most likely she was knocked up. The lack of appearance of her period for a second month was a fairly good sign.  
A baby.  
He smiled. They’d created a baby together and… and he was going to be a father. Levi swallowed hard as he felt a wave of nausea hit him. What did he know about being a father? His mother raised him as a single parent, doing everything she could to support him, not once did his father have any contact with them. It was stupid to worry, he knew what a loving family was and what he had to do to provide for a child… but it didn’t stop the fear.  
Hange left the door opened.  
He lounged in the doorway, watching as she sat and spread her legs to place the pregnancy test into a stream of urine.  
“Disgusting.”  
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll wash my hands afterwards… I think I’m getting pee on my hands, actually.”  
“Tch.”  
“You’re going to have to get use to pee and all kinds of other bodily fluids,” she said. “Babies can’t wipe their own asses you know.”  
“But you’re not a baby. I get to be disgusted with you.”  
Finished, she placed the lid on the test and laid it on the counter of the vanity as she washed her hands. “Can you time?”  
He pulled out his phone and started the timer. “Four eyes…”  
“Hmm?” flicking water from her fingers she turned her entire focus to him.  
Fuck. Levi casted his eyes to the ground, not wanting to see her reaction. “What if…”  
“There’s no baby?”  
He started, his eyes snapping back up and onto her. How the fuck did she know?  
Her manic smile was softened and sad. “It is a possibility that I’ve simply missed my period and there’s nothing…” her tongue darted out and moistened her lips. “It can be something like that. To be honest, I’ll be more shocked if it’s positive and we fell so quickly. We’re not young, it gets harder every year to conceive.”  
“Shut up,” he was an asshole to even ask, when Hange was so full of hope and excitement. Why did he have to open his fucking mouth?   
“We don’t know yet,” she dropped the lid on the toilet and plunked her ass down. “Until that test is finished doing its business, we don’t know and all we’re doing is worrying.”  
“Sorry.”  
“Don’t be. The thought has crossed my mind a lot. Are we or aren’t we? When will it happen? What if we don’t fall pregnant at all? What if our DNA is just not compatible? That’s a possibility,” she sighed. “But… I can’t wallow in the what ifs. Not this time, shorty.”  
Levi felt his whole-body rock forward. His arms started to pull apart. Everything in him told him to go and comfort her.  
Levi stopped himself. Turning his head to the side he forced his body to obey. He had to be an asshole.  
They waited until the timer went off on his phone.  
Hange surged to her feet. “Um, let’s look together?” her teeth indented her bottom lip.  
Levi noted the way she shoved her hands into her pockets and stood back, not looking at the pregnancy test. He nodded. “Come on, shitty glasses.”  
Together they stepped forward and peered at the little screen on the test.  
‘Pregnant’.  
It was like he no longer had a body, he’d turned to air and was floating. Pregnant. They were pregnant. Hange and him were having a baby together. He smiled.  
“YESSSSS!” Hange’s hands exploded from her pockets and punched the air. “Yes! Yes! Fuck yes!” Down came her hands on either side of his face and pulled him in for a kiss.  
***  
She was pregnant. The test was positive. They had been successful and made a baby.  
Unable to keep her lips soft and pliable for kissing, she pulled back from Levi, resting her forehead against his as she grinned. “We did it!”  
“Yeah,” he breathlessly replied.  
“Thank you, Levi.”  
He grunted.   
Fingers poked her midriff. She jumped in surprise and looked down.  
Levi pulled his hand back.  
Hange quickly grabbed onto it and pressed his palm firmly over her belly. “Sorry, wasn’t expecting you to start trying to feel me up so low… or high,” she bit her lip and winked at him.  
She watched his face, taking in every slight change in reaction. His eyes were wide and glossy. The corners of his lips up turned further than she’d ever seen before. And then it all disappeared and his normal resting bitch face returned.   
“You need to book in with your doctor in the morning. Take what ever appointment you can, I’ll make Erwin give me time off.”  
Hange nodded her head. “Okay,” she easily complied.  
“And this means you have to be more careful. Remember to eat. You need to make sure you don’t play with any plants or shit like that that could be poisonous.”  
“Yes, yes,” remembering back to when Niffa informed them of her pregnancy, a list was compiled of what was harmful for pregnant women and what wasn’t, so it wouldn’t be hard to know what to avoid. “I’ll tell Moblit as soon as I get to work.”  
“And no more late nights.”  
Hange felt her brows pull together. “But then I won’t be awake to see you after work.”  
Levi rubbed her belly one more time before pulling away completely.  
The sudden loss of his warmth was like a slap across her face.  
“We don’t need to fuck anymore. Job’s done, you’re pregnant.”  
“Oh.”  
It’s not like I can blame myself, she thought. Three months of sex together definitely blurred the lines of their friendship. Even when she had her period he was there giving her comfort and left-over chocolate cake. They had been going at it like hormonal teens even on the weeks when she wasn’t even meant to be ovulating. And suddenly he was planning on keeping his dick out of her.  
Laughing at herself, she looked at the ceiling as she spoke. “Guess we fell into a bit of a habit.”  
“Did you…” he started.  
Her face, especially the tips of her ears, burned. “I, um, I kind of…” still want to have the benefits of sex with you, Levi, she finished in her head. She wanted to keep him in her bed. Tie him to it if she had to. “Is there a reason why we should stop?”  
“You’re pregnant.”  
“But… I might be the only one to, um, well. See, I liked sleeping with you,” a lot. A whole fucking lot. “And I’m not getting satisfaction in that department from anyone else, obviously.”  
“Spit it out, shitty glasses.”  
“Fine,” she gritted her teeth. “I want to continue our sexual relationship.”  
“Okay.”  
“What?” did she hear that correctly.  
“Okay,” he repeated.  
“Okay? Okay to continuing?”  
Levi narrowed his eyes. “Yes… You’re not the only… I don’t want you to be getting horny and finding some fuck buddy who could have fuck knows what on his dick that could infect you or the baby.”  
It most certainly wasn’t a declaration or anything eloquent, but she grinned at him in appreciation. “So, we can continue this discussion in bed?”  
Levi nodded. “Yeah. We can talk about you thirsting for my dick in bed,” he dryly commented.  
Hange groaned. “You make it sound like your dick is like an addictive drug and I a whore for it.”  
***  
“Hi baby,” Kuchel answered the phone to her son. “How are you?”  
“I’m fine,” Levi replied. “I have news.”  
“Oh?”  
“I’m going to be a father,” he recited the words he’d been practicing all day.   
“Oh my… Levi,” she broke off in a sob.  
“Mum?”  
“Oh baby, you’re having a baby. Who with? I didn’t know you were dating anyone.”  
Levi braced himself. This was going to be the hard part for everyone to understand. “Hange, you remember her? And we’re not dating.”  
“I remember Hange,” she simply said. Her following silence was clearly waiting for him to fill in the rest of it all.  
“She asked me to be her donor.”  
“Oh.”  
“We’re going to raise the… child together.”  
“Levi, that sounds like a relationship.”  
He tried not to pout. Why could his mother point out something like that? “We’re friends.”  
“And I assume you ‘donated’ the old fashion way.”  
“Mum!”   
“Oh, I’m sorry, baby,” she chuckled. “But you two sound like you’re more than friends and are planning on being that way from now on. Just saying.”  
“I’m not discussing this with my mother.”  
“Congratulations baby,” she swapped her focus back to the reason of the call. “How far along is Hange?”  
“We think about two months. She needs to see the doctor and get checked.”  
“Has she had any symptoms?”  
“Huh?”  
“Like food cravings? Tiredness? Tender breasts? Levi, your job as her ‘donor’ isn’t over. She’s carrying your child, you need to look after her and make her as comfortable as possible. It’ll help.”   
He had to do what his father never did. “Did you struggle when you were pregnant with me?”  
“A little,” she admitted. “I was fine until the last trimester. Couldn’t find a comfortable position to be in, slept very little, wanted nothing more than for you to be born as soon as possible.”  
“I’m sorry,” he felt the need to apologise.   
“Don’t be. It was worth it.”  
They remained on the phone and discussed the many things a pregnancy caused. “And don’t question her cravings. I ate onions like they were apples.”  
“That’s disgusting, mum.”  
“And the reason why I can’t eat them now.”  
“Mum, I have to go now.”  
“Okay, baby. Call me when you have a free moment again.”  
“Will do. Thanks mum.”  
“Love you baby.” She chuckled. “I better stop calling you that, even though you’ll never not be my baby.”  
He smiled. “I’m going to have to stop calling you mum and start calling you grandma. Or granny.”  
“Oh, I think I like grandma best.”  
“Okay. Have to go now. Bye.”  
“Bye.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient for updates. All kinds of issues have hampered the progress.  
> Thank you for kudos and comments.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin smiled brightly at the pair. “Congratulations.” He gave Hange a hug and kiss on the cheek and Levi a firm handshake. “But if you’re not dating…” he left the rest hanging in the air.  
> “I forgot how socially awkward you could be, Erwin,” Hange groaned.  
> “I think it’s a fair question,” Mike added.  
> “Do you want a sock puppet demonstration?” she retorted.  
> “Is it needed?” Erwin deadpanned.

Yawning, Hange answered her phone. “Hmm, hello?”  
“Sorry, did I wake you?” the man on the other end asked.  
“No, I was awake,” she racked her brain to place the voice. It was familiar. Very familiar. “Just tired is all.”  
The man chuckled. “Still pulling all nighters, I see.”  
Actually, it’s because I’m going through the first trimester of my pregnancy and my energy levels have plummeted to next to nothing most days. “Something like that,” of course she wouldn’t be able to say that to someone she wasn’t sure she knew. But it certainly sounded like he knew her and her old habits.  
“I won’t keep you long, I’m calling you to invite you to the final farewell for the Scouts Club later next week. We’re inviting present and past employees as well as their families and close friends. Did Levi mention it?”  
Oh.  
Hange felt her jaw drop.  
“Erwin?!”  
“Yes?” uncertainty made his tone waver.  
“Oh my god, I totally didn’t pick your voice! I’m sorry for that.”  
He laughed, a real proper laugh, one she knew for him to do very rarely. “You’ve listened to me all this time without knowing who you were talking to?”  
“Well, yes,” she sheepishly admitted. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard from you.”  
“Haven’t needed to call you about a change in rosters.”  
She snorted. “It’s been so long, I’m not even sure I can remember how to mix a tequila sunrise.”  
“That’s a terrible thing,” he deadpanned back.  
“If I come to the get together, please don’t test my mixology skills,” she begged playfully.  
“If I promise not to, will you come?”  
“Tell me the details of when and where and I might be able to make an informed choice.”  
***  
Levi stuck to Hange’s side as soon as he was able to leave the kitchen. It wasn’t a sit-down meal, just finger food that would circulate with the wait staff who were hired for the occasion so the guests could relax and enjoy their last time being “scouts”.  
He eyed a plater of fish cakes as it went passed. Straight away he knew that it was cold now.  
God, he hated finger food.   
“What? Why didn’t I know about this?” Hange’s jaw dropped.  
Petra giggled and continued to flash her ring.   
“You should’ve been coming to visit instead of being a stranger,” Mike answered.  
Hange chuckled. “Yeah. Should’ve been doing that. Too bad this place was too far for my lunch break.” She spun on Levi. “However, you could’ve been giving me the gossip.”  
“I don’t gossip,” he volleyed back.  
“Don’t I know it.”  
Petra flagged down a waiter and picked a fishcake. “I can’t believe you two are still friends after all this time. You’re like fire and ice.”  
Hange analysed the food. “Really? I always thought we were rather similar. Short tempered and what not.”  
Mike groaned. “I remember the fights. It was so nice when you left here, Han. No offence.”  
“None taken,” she said as she reached for a fishcake.  
Levi smacked her hand and glared at the waiter. “Take those back to the kitchen. They’ve gone cold.”  
Hange grumbled. “I could’ve eaten it cold.”  
“And get food poisoning.”  
She pouted.  
Levi sighed. “I’ll go and make you something.” He turned on his heel and left the group to talk.  
***  
Petra stared in horror at her fishcake. “I should throw this away.”  
“No, no, no,” Hange cried. Gah, what was with him making everyone paranoid? It was such a waste of food. “I’m sure it’s all fine. Levi’s just being fussy. I remember when he refused to make sandwiches because he thought it was beneath his skill set,” words prattled out. “Tell me more about your fiancé. What’s she like? Where did you meet?”  
As Petra started her love story, Hange noticed Mike eyeing her oddly.  
She frowned at him.  
He leant in and sniffed.  
She rolled her eyes.  
“Why would Levi be fussy over you eating a fishcake and not about the rest of the people here?”  
Petra’s story paused and she too joined Mike in eyeing her oddly. “He’s right. Levi’s never done this in the past.”  
“Are you alright, Han?” Mike asked.  
Oh boy, guess they’re going to either think I’m dying and Levi is being my carer or they’re going to figure out that I’m pregnant with Levi’s child and that’s why he’s being fussy over me. I should tell them. Or I should wait for Levi. We never worked out how to tell mutual friends.  
“Oi!”  
Hange jumped, her heart racing. “What?”  
“Don’t what me, four eyes. Get in here and eat,” Levi let the door swing closed behind him.  
She sighed heavily. Yep, that’s not going to help abate the waiting inquisition when they returned from the kitchen. “I’ll be back,” she told Petra and Mike and headed to the domain of Levi.  
The wait staff were flustered. Some were even muttering curses under their breaths. Levi only glared as he barked out orders. “Heat it again… That’s a filthy plater, clean it… who’s meant to be washing dishes?”  
Hange gravitated to the only stool, pushed in close to a bench with a setting for one.  
Hmm, smells good. Her mouth began to water. Of course, it does, she quietly chuckled, it’s Levi. Quickly, she ate.  
He appeared at her side. “You’re not feeling nauseous? Any cravings yet?”  
She shook her head. “All good. And I don’t feel that tired today,” she pushed more into her mouth. “You need to tone down the paranoia. If somethings wrong I’ll tell you.”  
“Shut up.”  
“Plus, we need to explain to Petra and Mike what’s going on. They think somethings up thanks to your ‘you’re not eating that, I’ll make you dinner’ thing.”  
Levi’s expression remained unchanged.  
“We’re telling them, right?” Her fork froze. What if he didn’t want anyone to know? What if he never intended on having people know about his involvement and she was going to have to-  
“Yes.”  
She sighed, the tension that had gathered in her shoulders releasing. Why would she doubt him? “Okay then.”  
***  
“How was your dinner, Han?” Mike asked with a teasing note in his voice.  
She grinned. “Delicious.”  
“She’s pregnant,” Levi blurted.  
Hange’s heart stopped. The people closest stopped their conversations and turned to watch them. Mike blinked.  
“Levi,” she hissed. “Do you have to be socially awkward right now?”  
“You know I hate small talk.”  
Hange rubbed at her temple before chuckling. “Well, the cat’s out of the bag. Surprise.”  
Suddenly she was swallowed whole. “Congrats!” The word vibrated through her cheek as it rested on a chest. She realised Mike was giving her a bear hug and returned it the best she could. He released her.  
The chorus of more congratulations followed from the others; Lynn, Petra, Olou, Eld, Gunter, and so many more who had overheard the sudden announcement.  
“Who’s the father?” Petra innocently asked.  
“I am.” Levi admitted.  
“Surprise number two,” Hange added as the same reaction occurred.  
Much to his obvious disgust, they shook his hand and thumped him on the back as they delivered their congratulations.   
“Wait till Erwin hears this,” Mike grinned.  
Soon enough, Erwin graced them with his presence. “What’s going on here?” he looked around suspiciously as his subordinates barely contained their grins.  
Levi clamped his lips together. Folding his arms, he gave Hange a lifted brow look.  
She rolled her eyes. Now he decided not to blurt everything out? “We just made an announcement.”  
“You’re finally dating?” Erwin enquired.  
“Finally?” What was that supposed to mean?   
“Tch,” Levi glared. “No.”  
“Getting married?” Erwin continued to guess.  
“Why would we get married?” Hange asked in genuine confusion. What did they all think of their friendship if that’s where their thoughts went automatically?  
Erwin turned to Mike. “Neither of us won. What’s really going on?”  
“Oh, it’s good,” he smirked. “Well worth not winning a bet.”  
“Bet?” Levi asked. There was a threat behind his one word. But the two giants only smiled at him.  
“The only thing that would be more amaz… no…” Erwin focussed his fully attention on Hange. “You’re pregnant,” he stated.  
“Um, yep.”  
“And Levi…”  
“Yep,” she answered again.  
Erwin smiled brightly at the pair. “Congratulations.” He gave Hange a hug and kiss on the cheek and Levi a firm handshake. “But if you’re not dating…” he left the rest hanging in the air.  
“I forgot how socially awkward you could be, Erwin,” Hange groaned.  
“I think it’s a fair question,” Mike added.  
“Do you want a sock puppet demonstration?” she retorted.  
“Is it needed?” Erwin deadpanned.  
“Not at all. I wanted to have a child and Levi offered to be my donor.”  
***  
Slipping into a night shirt, Hange happily collapsed onto the bed. “That was really awkward, tonight. Even telling my parents hadn’t been that bad.”  
Levi worked around her, dragging the covers up and tucking her into bed. “Can’t fucking believe Mike and Erwin betting.”  
She chuckled. “It sounds like it’s been a long-standing bet. What on Earth would make them even think we were dating?”  
He shrugged. “Their relationship must be boring as shit if they had to speculate about others.”  
“I’m really struggling,” she fixated on the reason for a bet. “We’ve never flirted. What did they see that made them think it?”  
“Oi,” he reached for her glasses. “Stop worrying about shit.” He took them and placed them to the side.  
Her vision was extreme softness. “I’m not worried. I’m curious. We never did anything that was couple-y. Maybe it was you after I left.”  
“What did I do?” the bed dipped on the other side.  
She turned and watched the shape of Levi arrange the edge of the blankets comfortably close to his chin. “I don’t know. Did you talk about me? Miss having me around?”  
“I still saw you every other day. Why would I miss you?”  
“Because I’m addictive.” she teased.   
“Addictive?”  
“Yeah. Like your day was never complete unless you saw me,” she snorted. “Oh god, I sound so full of myself.”  
“You’re full of shit.”  
“Am not. I did one before my shower.”  
“Tch,” he reached up and turned off the lamp.  
Hange wriggled down and onto her side. Behind her, Levi spooned her. His hand came to rest over her abdomen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It isn't the best written chapter, but I felt I had to push it out to get back into writing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're both realising things about their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re-cap.  
> Hange wanted a baby, Levi agreed to be the donor, they fucked, she got pregnant, they continued their sexual relationship even though it was no longer necessary, told their friends and family, and act oblivious to the obvious relationship they've fallen into.

Fat.   
That’s all that she felt. Fat and horrible and why would anyone want to be near her?  
Glaring at herself in her mirror, Hange tried her best to flatten her shirt over the obvious bulge.  
“Hmm?” behind her, Levi snuggled into the pillow.  
She smiled fondly at him. He was such a sweety when he was half asleep; his scowl disappeared and he loved to snuggle anything and anyone within reach. Not in a necessarily sexual way even though many a time over the past few months his hand had come to cradle her breast which kind of led to other things…  
Sighing, she moved to the bed, placing a knee on the edge and reached over to brush his bangs from his temple. “Levi,” came out softly.  
“Hmm,” he turned his head towards her, his eyes slowly blinking open.  
“I’m heading off to work,” she continued to stroke the hair at his temple. It was silky, easily running through her fingers. “Remember my parents want to have lunch with us today.”  
“I know,” his eyelids slid back down and stayed shut.  
Hange chuckled and left for the day.  
***  
“Levi,” Erwi’s voice sounded upbeat.  
Good news, he though. “What is it Smith?” Quickly checking the clock, he realised he’d spent too much time cleaning Hange’s apartment and he would be late for lunch if he didn’t hurry up.  
“I received the needed approval for the building,” he continued on.  
“Good.”  
“I want you to come out to the site and have a look at the kitchen. Make a list of things that’ll need altering. You’re working nights?”  
“Yes,” he almost rolled his eyes. Getting work at the restaurant down the road had been a lucky break; he still remained employed, could walk to and from the apartment, and he only had nights.  
“Then you can come over today.”  
“No, I have lunch plans today. Tomorrow.” As he said this, he made a move to get his wallet and keys. “I have to go. Text me the address, I’ll be there at 11 tomorrow.” Without waiting for a reply, he hung up on his boss and pocketed the phone.  
Shit, he was late.  
***  
“Hi mum!” Hange fought the urge to look around for Levi. He was late and that meant she had to deal with her parents on her own.  
Joy.  
“Hange, it’s good to see you,” the older woman squeezed her tight and planted a kiss on her cheek.  
Once released, she repeated with her father a similar process only this time it was a firm clap on the shoulder for her when she went for a hug.  
“Should we go in?” she asked.  
“Is Levi not coming?” her father asked, his big bushy eyebrows rising up high. Obviously hinting at something else.  
To fight off her irritation, Hange focussed on how ridiculous those eyebrows were on a balding man. They just attracted attention, being the hairiest things on display. Perhaps a moustache would’ve help break up the effect.  
“He’s just running a little late. But I’m starved, we should go in and start looking at the menu,” she took two steps towards the door.  
“Oh,” her mother gasped.  
Looking back, she saw her mother point. Following that finger, she found Levi calmly moving towards them.  
“Hiya Levi!” she bounced back the two steps and bounded over. Planting a quick kiss to his cheek she whispered, “you left me alone with them for five minutes.”  
“Sorry, Erwin called.”  
Pulling back, she nodded. That was acceptable.  
And it wasn’t like anything had really happened yet.  
“It’s good to see you, Mrs Zoe,” he shook her hand. “Mr Zoe,” and then his.  
“Was afraid you weren’t going to show up,” her mother laughed.  
“We should go in,” Hange insisted.  
“Oh Hange,” Mrs Zoe chided. “Pregnancy doesn’t make you that hungry.”  
“But it’s lunch time, mum,” she defended and took the lead to head into the building.  
Once seated and ordered the interrogation began.  
“Are you going to get married?” her mother chose to start big.  
Hange choked on her water.  
Levi passed her a napkin. “Is that a necessary thing?”  
Mrs Zoe smiled sweetly at him. “You may think that marriage isn’t necessary,” she left the rest hanging.  
Obviously, it was to the Zoe clan.  
Hange swiped at her mouth. “Mum! Stop it. Levi and I don’t have to get married in order to have a baby together.”  
“So my grandchild is going to be a bastard?” Her mother countered. “And what’s going to stop Levi from leaving you?”  
The headache struck her skull hard, squeezing her brain, making it throb rhythmically. She knew this would happen. Knew her parents would have opinions about her life. She had been prepared; brought Levi along so they’d be a united front, thought of counter arguments.  
But she wasn’t prepared for an all-out frontal assault.  
“Mum, Levi and I have an agreement to raise this child together,” she glossed over the fact she was going to be the primary carer and Levi had full access, that wouldn’t help here. “We’re in this together.”  
Her mother looked at her with pity. “I thought I raised a daughter with better sense.”  
Ouch.  
“Mrs Zoe,” Levi interrupted. “I’m just the sperm donor.”  
Hange cringed. Oh, here we go again with the social awkwardness, she cursed mentally.  
“Hange is allowing me to be part of the brat’s life. At any time, she could take the brat and leave me. Marriage wouldn’t stop that.”  
Nicely put. Reaching under the table, she gave his knee a squeeze.   
“You’ve ruined your chances,” her father now stepped into the conversation. “Of ever getting into a serious relationship. Men don’t like to raise children that are not their own.”  
“Am I meant to then have an abortion?” her voice rose. Seething rage began to take over all rational thought. She clenched her teeth. “Was I meant to wait around for a man to finally show up? Wait for that one man to take me as his wife?” She paused for effect. “I’ll tell you, dad; I did wait. I’ve been waiting for years. No man has ever shown up.”  
Her mother reached across the table. She was able to brush Hange’s knuckles before Hange jerked back and slapped the table top hard. “No. I tried to play it normal, I waited for marriage and it hasn’t happened. But I want a baby! I don’t need a man to have a baby because I have Levi!”  
Her father glared hard at her.   
Her mother brought her hand to her mouth and started chewing the thumbnail.  
Levi leant back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Is every family get together going to be this shitty?”  
“Excuse me?” Mr Zoe turned his glare to him.  
Levi lifted his shoulder in a shrug. “You’re acting like this is the end of the world. Your daughter is pregnant, not tearing down walls.”  
Hange sighed, the tension slightly easing out of her system. “Mum and dad, I chose to do this. I want to have this baby.”  
Her mother finally got a hold of Hange’s hand and held on tight. “We’re happy to finally be grandparents. But we also want to know you’re properly looked after. It won’t be easy to find a man after having a child.”  
Her father nodded.   
Hange started to open her mouth.  
Then stopped.  
No, that wasn’t right.  
A fleeting glance to the side to Levi and then focus back on her parents.  
But I already have Levi, she answered in her head.  
***  
“Why the fuck are we on the other side of the city?” Levi growled as he entered the building.  
Erwin ignored him. “It’ll need to be remodelled, we can’t have the dinning room divided across three smaller rooms.”  
“We’d end up pissing off customers,” Levi admitted. “But this place is going to take forever to get here each day. And parking looks like shit.”  
“Then move closer.”  
Levi halted.   
Erwin reached the bar and started to lay out folders. “I have the plans here.”  
“I’m not moving.”  
“It’ll be fine, I doubt we’ll be able to open up before the end of the year. You and the rest of your kitchen staff will have plenty of time to work out living arrangements.” Erwin motioned Levi over. “Take a look at this.”  
Levi did step closer, but refused to look at the plans. “Erwin, I am not moving to this side of the city.”  
“Hange would probably move with you,” Erwin suggested.  
“Then she’d have to commute through peak hour traffic to get to work. No.”  
Frowning, Erwin leant against the bar. “Are you going to still act oblivious?”  
“Oblivious to what?”  
His bushy brows shot upwards. “Hange. This whole thing with her has changed your relationship completely and then not at all.”  
“The fuck are you dribbling, Smith?”  
“You’re in love with Hange. Have been for years now.”  
Levi didn’t answer.   
***  
Hange sat her laptop to the side. There was so much information out there. “Maybe I should get Moblit to help out with sorting through it all,” she mused aloud.  
No way did she want to put her child into disposables; the chemicals in them made her cringe when she thought of that touching the backside of her baby. Not to mention the environmental impacts.  
But reusable had issues.  
Obviously, the old school cloth flats seemed the best option, except that they have to be held in place with a safety pin. Would that dig into their belly when the rolled over for tummy time? Or should they do modern cloth nappies with their press stud closures?   
“Levi will want to clean them and make sure they’re sterilised first,” she unwittingly allowed her thoughts to turn to the man. “Shit!”  
Groaning, Hange buried her face into her hands and tried to think of something else, anything else. Nappies full of baby shit. The periodic table. Moblit’s last rant at her.  
Levi.  
“Nooooo!”  
“No what, shitty glasses?”  
She jerked her hands down. Levi stood beside the lounge, looking exhausted. “Um, I was reading up on nappies,” she lamely pointed to her computer.  
“Reusable?” he asked.  
She nodded.  
“Good. I don’t want chemical shit touching our brat.”  
“There’s been a study that showed disposable nappies may have affected the sperm count in little boys. They suggest its due to a rise in temperature from the nappies not breathing,” the babble exploded from her mouth.  
“You would read shit like that,” turning away, he started off towards the hall. “I’m going for a shower. Hurry up and get to bed.”  
It was like her heart was going to explode out of her chest, each thump louder and harder than the last. Hange chewed on her bottom lip and watched his back as he disappeared into the bathroom.  
She had Levi, why did she need a man?  
After those words had formed in her mind earlier in the day, she came to a realisation; she was deeply attached to Levi.  
But if she said something now, admitted her feelings for him, and he didn’t feel the same… could they keep living the way they did?  
And would her heart survive him leaving her when he decided he couldn’t be like this anymore?  
“Why?” she rubbed her palm over her baby bump and grumbled. “Why did I have to ruin everything?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience.

Hange scrubbed a balled-up fist hard into the socket of her left eye. “Ugh, I’m so tired.” No matter what she did, no matter how many times she re-positioned herself, no matter how many pillows Levi helped to place around her in a protective circle, she couldn’t find comfort.  
Which led to her sitting on the lounge with the lights off and the television on mute showing her the latest must have bullshit to buy and fill the house with. She scowled at it. Damned thing.  
Damned baby.  
It moved again, digging a foot deeper into her lower back.  
“Stop that,” she hissed.  
The baby ignored her and performed more kicks in its gymnastic routine.  
Levi was dosing off in one of the reclining chairs, his arm crossed over his chest and chin tilted forward.  
Damn him too.  
She wanted to smack him. How could he find any sort of comfort in such a position? It was like he was teasing her; he could sleep and she couldn’t.  
It took control not to throw the cushion at him and yell that he should just go to bed.  
Control being the comfort the pillow was giving her as she hugged it. She didn’t want to have to get up and retrieve it.  
Sometime between the repeated infomercial on jeggings (but wait, there’s more) and the start of the early-early morning news Hange slipped into an exhausted sleep. No dreams or comfort, just a necessary bodily function.  
As she came back to consciousness, she realised several things.  
She was stretched out on the lounge, a second pillow under her head while she hugged the one from before in her arms.  
Something was rhythmically rubbing circles over her belly.  
And Levi was speaking.  
“You need to calm down, little one,” he whispered.   
She remained still.  
“Your mother doesn’t function properly if she doesn’t get some sort of rest. Which means I can’t be the grumpy one in the relationship.”  
She struggled not to smirk at that comment.  
The rubbing of his palm was doing magic. It had settled the baby. It also was soothing her aches and pains in the taut skin over her belly.  
“Please be nice to her, she loves you. Even though you’re being a little shit lately,” he emphasised this with a poke. “And she’ll still love you when you’re being shitty out here in the real world. Though I’m sure she’ll be teaching you all of the shitty habits. Tch. And I’ll have to clean up after the both of you.”  
He went silent.  
Hange wasn’t sure if she should just try to fall back asleep with him rubbing her belly or wake up and give him a kiss.  
“I…”  
She almost opened her eyes to look at him. The hesitancy in his tone… what did he mean by that?  
“Okay, brat,” he said with a sigh that sounded like he was giving in to something. “I’m shit with my words; I can’t even tell your mother that I love her, that’s how bad I am.”  
Love?  
“So you’re going to be learning all of that expressive crap from her and not me. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you. I just can’t say it the way she can.”  
Did Levi just admit to the baby that he loved her? Hange’s brain whirled into full function. But the problem was, she wasn’t sure what kind of love he meant… as a friend? As the mother of his child? As a lover?  
Hold on.   
She struggled not to show signs of being awake.   
How could she not know what he meant? This was Levi, for fuck sakes. She was one of the very few people who could read between his actions and words and translate them for those who couldn’t.  
Why couldn’t she understand what he meant then and there?  
“I’ll keep you as safe as I can,” he promised. “I won’t be able… there will be somethings I won’t be able to protect you from, I’m sorry. But I’ll stop anyone I can from hurting you. And I’ll teach you how to defend yourself.”  
The backs of her eyes stung.  
Was it really okay for her to be hearing all of this? Not that she could do anything; the baby was in her and she wanted him to have this moment.  
“Don’t be afraid. You hit them hard and fast, don’t care about them. Break bones and make them bleed.”  
What? No, you idiot! Don’t encourage them to be a thug.  
“And know this, little one.”  
Hange held her breath. Please, don’t start teaching them the fine art of stabbing.  
“Your mother can’t pretend to be asleep to save herself.”  
Damn it. She peeled her eyelids back and in the extremely dim light, she made out the shape of Levi possibly kneeling beside the lounge.  
In her mind, she filled in the blanks of what she couldn’t see; his blue eyes searching hers.  
Hange briefly bit her lip. “You love me?”  
“Yeah.”  
“As in… more than friends?”  
“Yes!” he snapped.  
As if it was meant to be obvious. Hange’s hopes rose sharply, a grin pulling at the corners of her lips.  
“Well shitty glasses?” he said impatiently.  
“I love you, too,” she replied.  
He released a heavy sigh. The shape of him sagged forward and he buried his face into her shirt, just above her belly. Hange felt herself grin like a fool, the apples of her cheeks so bunched up she was now squinting. She released her pillow and allowed her hands to dive into his hair.  
“Now what?”  
“What?” his muffled voice replied.  
“Well, we’re a little too well acquainted to be just dating. We’re a lot more like a married couple.”  
“Do you want to get married?”  
Hange frowned. She massaged her fingers over his scalp as she considered the option. “I don’t know. With wanting the baby, I knew that I had to have one, there was never a doubt about it at all. Marriage… we already act like we’re married; we see each other every day, argue, committed, planning a shared future. Marriage really is just a piece of paper and another fee to the government.”  
Levi lifted his head. “I want to get married.”  
Releasing her hold of his hair, she pushed herself upright. Levi shifted out of the way and helped. She reached for him, clamping her palms over his cheeks and holding him in place. “I’d go onto bended knee but, pregnant and all-”  
Levi slapped a hand over her mouth. “No, Hange. You don’t get to ask.”  
She rolled her eyes, knowing full well that he could see her do that.  
Levi made his normal ‘tch’ sound.  
She grinned.  
“Hange Zoe, I love you and want you to be my shitty wife.”  
She pulled his hand away from her mouth and cradled it to her chest. “Yes!”  
***  
Levi sipped his tea as he waited to see if she’d pick up.  
“Hello, baby,” his mother answered sleepily.  
“Hi, mum. Did I wake you?”  
“Hmm, yeah. Was having a sleep in. Did the late shift for the past few days.”  
“You need to say no more often. It isn’t worth your health.”  
Kuchel chuckled. “But the extra pay will help when I come up to see the baby when it’s born. Is it still alright for me to stay at your apartment?”  
“Yes, mum. I’m hardly there anymore, so you can do as you like there,” he smiled softly. “I have news.”  
“Oh honey, twins?”   
He was unsure if there was excitement in her voice or shock. “No. Hange and I are getting married.”  
“Oh my God!” his mother must have moved the phone away; her happy screams were not directed down his ear. “Yes! Yes! My baby is getting married!”  
Levi snorted.  
“When?” she asked normally after all of that.  
Levi swallowed. “We’re not sure. I’m applying for the licence, but as soon as that comes in, I’m dragging Hange’s ass to the courthouse.”  
She chuckled softly.  
“I’m hoping,” he added. “That it comes in before the baby does.”  
“How does Hange feel about that?” she asked. “Getting married when you’re hormonal, feel fat, and just about ready to cut the baby out yourself, isn’t really a nice thing.”  
“Yeah, but that way you won’t have to take more time off to see us straight away.”  
“Stop worrying about your mother,” Kuchel snapped. “You have a baby and your fiancé to worry about.”  
“Mum,” he started.  
“No Levi. I understand that you’re trying to be accommodating, but this is not necessary. So baby, stop harassing your mother.”  
“Tch.”  
“I heard that.”  
Levi rolled his eyes. “We’re still doing it as soon as we can. When we know I’ll let you know.”  
“I’ll be there,” she promised.  
Levi nodded his head, even though he knew she couldn’t see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing Chemistry this term. I like it.   
> Also, still on tumblr (for the moment) curious to see how things are going to change. @fangirldefiantdame if anyone is interested. Let's watch the place burn itself at the stake.  
> And if anyone knows any good sites for gossiping about fandoms, please share.


End file.
